**2. Swedish preschools**

The ECEC institutions in Sweden are educational settings that aim to give education and care to children in their early years. The ECEC institution is divided into preschools for children aged 1-5 years and preschool classes for 6-year-olds before formal schooling starts at seven. All Swedish children from 1 year have the right

#### *Preschool Improvement Practices DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113143*

to be educated and cared for in ECEC institutions. The School Act (2010:800) [11] establishes that education within the school system, which includes preschool, aims to promote the development of all children and a lifelong desire to learn. According to statistics [14] in 2022, there were 508.815 children in Swedish preschools, 115.309 were 4 years old, and 116.092 were 5. From the age of one, children must be offered preschool to the extent necessary concerning the parents' gainful employment or studies or if the child has their own needs due to the family's situation in general. The municipalities must also offer preschool to all children for at least 525 free hours per year from and with the autumn term in the year the child turns three (general preschool). The home municipality is responsible for ensuring that preschool education is provided for all children in the municipality who must be offered preschool and whose guardian wishes it. Individuals may, after application, be approved as the principal of a preschool. Preschools with an individual principal can be operated as, for example, a parent cooperative or staff cooperative by a foundation or a limited company. The municipalities ensure the business meets good quality and security requirements. Most Swedish preschools run by a municipal principal make up 70% of the preschools, and those with an individual principal, as in this study, amount to 30% of the Swedish preschools. The groups of 4-years to 5-year children consist of 16 children in preschools driven by municipalities. In independent preschools, the groups are slightly smaller [14]. The Swedish preschool has a national curriculum [11], which should reflect the values and rights expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) [15]. It is fundamental that all children must be involved in the activities and that they are planned and carried out to promote their development, health, and well-being [11, 16]. There are conditions for well-being in preschools where all children can interact with other children and staff. Responsive staff who create a positive learning environment and take the children's opinions into the teaching are essential for the children's involvement in the actual preschool activities. It provides a sense of social belonging to cope with things and be independent, which is necessary for well-being [17]. Play should play a vital role in education, and an approach by the work team and an environment that encourages play confirm the importance of space for children's development, learning, and well-being. Listening to the children's voices is a part of everyday activity, and in Sweden, children are encouraged to express their thoughts about the experiences provided by the adults [11].
